Waving, Clapping and Pointing

Clapping, waving and pointing are just a few of the new tricks you'll find up your baby's onesie sleeves.

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Babies start communicating long before they can say a single word. From her first smiles to her first sounds, your baby's nonverbal communication skills are on a fast track from birth, and for good reason: She wants to be understood, especially by you! As your baby's motor control develops, she'll discover that her little hands and fingers are in fact important tools for nonverbal communication. That's right: Waving, clapping and pointing aren't just cute tricks, they're the natural next steps in her growing ability to communicate.

When to expect it: Somewhere around 9 months, she’ll reward you with a wave — and whether it’s a regal gesture or a funny, bird-like flap, this new attempt to communicate is something to celebrate.

By 12 months, most babies are able to point to things that they're interested in — and while that may not seem like a big deal, it definitely is. By pointing, your baby is saying, “Hey Mom! I see something and I want you to see it, too!” Experts call this “shared attention,” and it’s a major developmental milestone. And your baby won't just point to indicate things that she likes and wants you to like, too — although that's impressive enough. She'll also point to indicate actions she wants to make, things she wants, things she remembers and even things that aren't there anymore...which explains why she keeps pointing at the tree where she once saw a squirrel.

How to help your baby discover it: Modeling these actions for your baby is the best way to encourage her nonverbal communication skills. Hold her hands and bring them together while saying, "Clap, clap, clap." Move her hand in a wave while saying, "Wave bye-bye to Grandpa!" Playing finger games such as pattycake and this little piggy — with your hands helping hers to do the actions while you sing — will also teach your baby the important concept of movement coordinated with meaning. "Eyes-nose-mouth" is another teaching game that combines action with communication: Take both baby’s hands in yours, touch one to each of your eyes, then both to your nose, then to your mouth (where you end with a kiss), naming each feature as you move along: “eyes, nose, mouth, kiss.”

Motivate her pointing skills by pointing at objects you both see and recognize: "Is that a doggy on the sidewalk? Is that a bird in the air?" Putting your hand on hers to point her fingers in the same direction also helps reinforce how pointing works. Once she sees you pointing at something she remembers and recognizes, she’ll want to point that-a-way too! When she points at something, you’ll instinctively name it for her, which adds word after word to her vocabulary. Though she won’t repeat these new words quite yet, she’s squirreling them away in her brain to voice later on.

Remember that this is another building block of language development, which lays the foundation for everything from toddler tantrums to teenage heart-to-hearts. It’s also another sign of your baby’s growing relationship with the world around her — she’s learning that you are a separate (but oh-so-important!) person in her life. So marvel at those busy baby hands!

What not to worry about: By 9 months, most babies are able to clap and wave — though if your munchkin hasn’t mastered clapping yet, there’s no cause for alarm. Just keep the communication flowing and practice all of those important finger games, and she should get there on her own developmental timeline.

What’s next: Clapping is one giant step for your baby in a whole slew of developmental discoveries. Once she masters pointing at things and mimicking other behaviors she sees, she will begin to grab at and pat more things — from your glasses to that toy she loves most. As her curiosity increases, seize the opportunity to introduce her to the verbal companions to her actions. Remember that her mental vocabulary is far more advanced than her speaking vocabulary at this time, so provide lots of opportunities for her vocabulary to grow by communicating with her.

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